Ernst: Library closing to make way for a better one

Published: Saturday, September 15, 2012 at 6:26 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, September 15, 2012 at 6:26 p.m.

The Englewood Charlotte Library will close its doors on Oct. 15. Normally, the closing of a library is bad news. Not so this time.

First of all, it’s only temporary, for construction. Second, there’s a viable alternative. And third, when it re-opens fully, the east side of Englewood will enjoy a renovated facility nearly double its present size.

The initial stage of the $2.3 million project has not caused much disruption for the library at the Tringali Center complex on State Road 776 in east Englewood.

Contractor Owen-Ames-Kimball has already erected a new section west of the existing structure and an elevated hallway between the two. But renovators will soon move into the library, which means most of its contents have to go.

On Nov. 14, the library will open a skeleton office with a few computers and Wi-Fi service in a room at the Tringali Center. Patrons also will be able to order new books and return them. That’s about it until April, when the construction is scheduled to end.

The finished product should be a big improvement. Space will expand from 8,000 to 14,000 square feet and will feature a dedicated children’s room, a small bookstore for the Friends of the Library, a 50-seat meeting room, storage for the county historic archives, and a doubling of computer stations from 12 to 24.

We often forget how many people do not have computers. They depend on libraries for online access. This is nothing new, although wireless connecting has added a wrinkle.

It’s not unusual to see patrons in their cars, typing on laptops, taking advantage of the library Wi-Fi service which extends into the parking lot, says Anne Shepherd, division director for libraries and historical resources in Charlotte County.

The historic archive element of the expansion also deserves mention. Library archivists have been collecting old news articles, photos and other documents, not only to store but to digitize.

“We’ve been doing it for a long time, but the materials have been stored all over the county,” Shepherd says. Soon, they’ll be centralized in east Englewood, which Shepherd extols as a “good site, away from water.”

The library renovation is actually a scaled-back version of a plan that intended to make the facility regional, much like the county’s main library on Forrest Nelson Boulevard in Port Charlotte. The recession put an end to that talk.

However, in what could make a good advertisement for impact fees, they are the funding source for this construction. The fees, essentially taxes on the construction of homes and businesses, are intended to make growth pay at least partially for the demand it puts on public services, such as parks, roads and libraries.

Shepherd says the demand on libraries is growing. She expects next year’s circulation of books, DVDs and other materials to rise from 939,000 to about 1 million.

A final note: While the construction may inconvenience some, it does not ultimately cheat Englewood residents of full library service. Charlotte County residents can use libraries in Sarasota County and vice versa. So those who can’t find what they want from October through April at Englewood Charlotte can simply head north to Elsie Quirk Public Library on the Sarasota side of town.

Worth flagging

In other news, Venice City Manager Ed Lavallee has just introduced an initiative that will honor veterans and save the city some money. Not a bad combination.

He says he got the idea at a memorial service when he saw a grieving family receive a folded American flag, a keepsake traditionally extended to veterans. “I thought about where that flag was probably headed, to a hope chest or closet somewhere never to be seen again,” Lavallee says. “We have several at home.”

Last week, Venice started a program to accept donations of those flags to be flown on municipal flagpoles. The city will acknowledge the donations publicly, and staff will send donors a letter telling them where and when the flags they have provided will be unfurled.

Considering Venice probably has to replace flags on each flagpole once or twice a year, Lavallee’s idea is not only a thoughtful gesture but a practical one.

<p>The Englewood Charlotte Library will close its doors on Oct. 15. Normally, the closing of a library is bad news. Not so this time.</p><p>First of all, it's only temporary, for construction. Second, there's a viable alternative. And third, when it re-opens fully, the east side of Englewood will enjoy a renovated facility nearly double its present size.</p><p>The initial stage of the $2.3 million project has not caused much disruption for the library at the Tringali Center complex on State Road 776 in east Englewood.</p><p>Contractor Owen-Ames-Kimball has already erected a new section west of the existing structure and an elevated hallway between the two. But renovators will soon move into the library, which means most of its contents have to go.</p><p>On Nov. 14, the library will open a skeleton office with a few computers and Wi-Fi service in a room at the Tringali Center. Patrons also will be able to order new books and return them. That's about it until April, when the construction is scheduled to end.</p><p>The finished product should be a big improvement. Space will expand from 8,000 to 14,000 square feet and will feature a dedicated children's room, a small bookstore for the Friends of the Library, a 50-seat meeting room, storage for the county historic archives, and a doubling of computer stations from 12 to 24.</p><p>We often forget how many people do not have computers. They depend on libraries for online access. This is nothing new, although wireless connecting has added a wrinkle.</p><p>It's not unusual to see patrons in their cars, typing on laptops, taking advantage of the library Wi-Fi service which extends into the parking lot, says Anne Shepherd, division director for libraries and historical resources in Charlotte County.</p><p>The historic archive element of the expansion also deserves mention. Library archivists have been collecting old news articles, photos and other documents, not only to store but to digitize.</p><p>“We've been doing it for a long time, but the materials have been stored all over the county,” Shepherd says. Soon, they'll be centralized in east Englewood, which Shepherd extols as a “good site, away from water.”</p><p>The library renovation is actually a scaled-back version of a plan that intended to make the facility regional, much like the county's main library on Forrest Nelson Boulevard in Port Charlotte. The recession put an end to that talk.</p><p>However, in what could make a good advertisement for impact fees, they are the funding source for this construction. The fees, essentially taxes on the construction of homes and businesses, are intended to make growth pay at least partially for the demand it puts on public services, such as parks, roads and libraries.</p><p>Shepherd says the demand on libraries is growing. She expects next year's circulation of books, DVDs and other materials to rise from 939,000 to about 1 million.</p><p>A final note: While the construction may inconvenience some, it does not ultimately cheat Englewood residents of full library service. Charlotte County residents can use libraries in Sarasota County and vice versa. So those who can't find what they want from October through April at Englewood Charlotte can simply head north to Elsie Quirk Public Library on the Sarasota side of town.</p><p><B>Worth flagging</b></p><p>In other news, Venice City Manager Ed Lavallee has just introduced an initiative that will honor veterans and save the city some money. Not a bad combination.</p><p>He says he got the idea at a memorial service when he saw a grieving family receive a folded American flag, a keepsake traditionally extended to veterans. “I thought about where that flag was probably headed, to a hope chest or closet somewhere never to be seen again,” Lavallee says. “We have several at home.”</p><p>Last week, Venice started a program to accept donations of those flags to be flown on municipal flagpoles. The city will acknowledge the donations publicly, and staff will send donors a letter telling them where and when the flags they have provided will be unfurled.</p><p>Considering Venice probably has to replace flags on each flagpole once or twice a year, Lavallee's idea is not only a thoughtful gesture but a practical one.</p><p>The City Council endorsed it on Tuesday, Sept. 11.</p>